2015 BMW X3

Visually, it's largely the same as its predecessor, until you look underhood.

Those who aren’t into BMWs might not even notice at first, but BMW’s X3 just got a face lift. Honest. Adrian van Hooydonk’s design team has completely redesigned the twin kidney grilles—they now look three-dimensional and is tucked in under the hood—the headlights feature an ever-so-different contour and now come in contact with the grille, and new bumpers front and rear create a more aggressive, angular look. Thank goodness there are functional changes, too—the biggest of which is tucked away out of sight—otherwise this story wouldn’t last much past this sentence.

The mirror caps now feature integrated turn signals, and BMW will even offer full-LED headlights. These cosmetic changes aren’t anything earth shattering, but they do bring the X3 closer in line with the mid-size X5, the third generation of which was launched last summer.

Inside, the X3 looks richer, materials-wise, and more expensive—all achieved with a minimum of changes. Luxury manufacturers across the board are putting added emphasis on interior design and materials, and thus, the new X3 receives new chrome accent pieces, new paneling, and coverable cup holders for a less cluttered appearance. The HVAC display has been redesigned, and the optional navigation system has been swapped out for a re-engineered unit. Borrowing a page from the book of Dearborn, BMW has installed a “smart opener” that opens the liftgate with a wave of a foot beneath the rear bumper.

The biggest change to the X3 is the introduction of the xDrive28d diesel option, which makes use of the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel that powers the 328d, making 180 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. BMW says that the diesel X3 will be capable of achieving 0-to-60 runs in “just under eight seconds.” Also new is the introduction of the sDrive28i rear-drive option, which will serve as the base model and be propelled by the same N20 2.0-liter turbo four making 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque as is found in the model’s xDrive28i all-wheel-drive counterpart. That powertrain carries over unchanged, as does the xDrive35i and its 300-hp, 300-lb-ft, N55 turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six.

The 2015 BMW X3 will go on sale this spring, with prices for the sDrive28i starting at $39,325, while opting for xDrive all-wheel drive will add $1400 to the bottom line. Upgrading to the six-cylinder xDrive35i will set shoppers back $45,825, and diesel enthusiasts will be forced to shell out $42,825 for the X3 xDrive28d.

The addition of the diesel option will attract fuel misers and introducing a rear-drive base model should make the X3 a more viable option for aspirational customers in the Sunbelt. And appealing to a broader audience can’t be anything but positive for BMW, even if it’s peddling a familiar face.